Postal machine



(No Model;) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

- W. BARRY.

POSTAL MACHINE. I No. 585,076. v Patented June 22, 1897.

THE cums wrrsns w. wumumc" WASHINGTON, o. c,

(No Model.) 7 Sheets8heet 3.

W.v BARRY.

POSTAL MACHINE.

No. 585,076. Patented June 22,1897...

Wm W gwuawtoz woes (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

' -W. BARRY.

POSTAL MACHINE.

No. 585,076." PatentedJune 22, 1897.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

W BARRY POSTAL MACHINE.

N0. 585,0 76. Patented June 22,1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

\VILLIAM BARRY, OF SYRACUSE, NE\V YORK.

POSTAL MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,076, dated June 22,1897.

Application filed September 14, 1895. Serial No. 562,538. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BARRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Syracuse, countyof Onondaga, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Postal Machines; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention,

which will enable others skilled in the art to to the printingmeohanismand each will receive its proper mark and be passed into thereceiving-way and properly stacked.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedpostmarking-machine ca- I pable of accuratelypassing the letters througha printing mechanism and placing the proper imprint thereon, which shallbe simple and durable in construction, and which can be depended ontoperform its functions without constant repair and adjustment, andwhich is so constructed and arranged that if repair or renewal isnecessaryit can be made quickly and easily, and which is without thoseintricate and delicate mechanisms which render some machines necessarilysubject to great Wear and strain, requiring constant expert attention,renewal, and repair and consequent great cost of maintenance, wherebythe actual capacity and running time of such machines are greatlyreduced because of their enforced idleness'when undergoing such repairand adjustment, possibly just at the time they are most needed forperforming their official duties.

A further object of the in vention is to provide an improvedpostmarking-machine capable of receiving a large number of letters atonce and of automatically feeding them to a feeder which carries theletters separately to a printing mechanism from which they are passed toand properly stacked in a receiving-way, and which shall have its actualworking parts simple in construction and so arranged and located andcombined as to be easily accessible and renewable without difficulty orrequiring extensive adjustment, time, or removal of other parts ornecessarily expert operators or special tools, and which shall be soformed, located, arranged, and combined as not to be subjected toexcessive and rapid wear and consequent short life, and shall have aminimum number of parts in proportion to the functions and operationsaccomplished by the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedpostmarking-machine having an elongated receiving-Way capable ofreceiving and feeding forwardly a large number of letters, with improvedautomatic mechanism for throwing the machine out of gear with its driveror of stopping the machine when all of the letters have been fed fromsaid way.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedpostmarkingmachine having its reciprocating feeder carrying the lettersseparately to the printing mechanism, and its stacker, which properlypacks the lettors in the receiving-way, pivotally joined by connectingmeans eccentrically joined to and properly swung by a rotary Wheel, asthe printing-wheel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a postmarking-machinehaving a reciprocating feeder to carry the letters separately from thefeedway to the printing mechanism, with an improved auxiliary rotaryfeeding device to assist the reciprocating feeder in overcoming theinertia of each letter and in start- 1ng it independently of the otherletters in the feedway on its movement from the feedway to the printingmechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionand formation of reciprocating feeder and an improved manner ofoperating and controlling the same, so as to increase the generaleffectiveness and durability of the feeder and to insure its accuracy inproperly taking hold of and carry-.

to present the letter to the printing-surface of the wheel, and whichshall be forced in by the p rintin g-wheel intermittingly against theletter about to be carried to said wheel, so as to properly grasp andfeed said letter at the required moment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improvedprinting-roll simple and durable in construction, with an improvedmanner of holding and permitting ready and easy insertion or withdrawalof the printingeharactcrs, and so that the printing-characters can beproperly inked without daubing the remainder of the surface of the rollor depositing the ink on the impression-roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide a postmarking-machinewith a letterway having an improved swinging adjustable side bar, sothat the width of the way can be easily varied to accomodate letters ofdifferent sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means at thereceiving end of the receiving-way, so that the letters will be soguided and directed and held as to permit ready entrance and properpacking of the letters discharged from the printing mechanism in thereceiving-way.

A further object of the invention is to provide improvements in detailsof construction and arrangements and combinations of parts whereby ahighly-efficient postmarking-machine is produced.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements ofparts more fully and particularly described and pointed out hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view,with portions broken away, of a machine constructed in ac cordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof from the side of thefeedway. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof with the inker removed.Figs. a and 5 are detail enlarged top plan views of the front portion ofthe machine, showing the parts in different positions and Fig. 5 showingthe parts in the act of operating the letters. Fig. (l is a detail topplan, enlarged, of the inker, printing and impression rolls, dottedlines showing the inker holder and the adaptability of thestamp-printing portion of radial adjustment. Fig. 7 is a detail verticallongitudinal section through the inker, printing-roll, in'lpressionroll,and portions of the driving-gears, shafts, and supporting means of theseparts. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of the printing-character forcancelling the stamps. Fig. 9 is a dctail section through a portion ofthe printingroll, showing said character of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detailhorizontal section through a portion of the printing-roll, showing ahorizontal section of the printing-type therein. Fig. 11

is a detail perspective of the reciprocating feeder-carrier,showing thefeederbloek. Fig.

12 is a top plan of the construction of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a detailperspective of one of the plates and row of needles from which thefeeder-block is built up. Fig. 1% is a rear elevation of theseparator-fingers and the supporting-frame. Fig. 15 is a top plan of theconstruction of Fig. 14. Figs. 10, 17, and 18 are detail perspectiveviews of the different forms of separator-fingers. Fig. 19 is a detailsectional top plan of two separator-fingers acting on two letters toshow the cooperation of the two forms of fingers. Fig. 20 is ahorizontal section through the auxiliary feed-roll. Fig. 21 is a topplan view thereof. Fig. 22 is a rear end view of the machine with therear ends of the letter-ways broken away.

In the drawings the reference-letter a indicates the supporting frame orstandard of the machine, suitably formed to rest on and, if desired, besecured to the floor and extend upwardly and a suitable distancetherefrom to the working parts and beds of the machine. This frame can,if desired, be cast in one piece, as shown in the drawings, although ofcourse I do not limit myself to any peculiar frame or manner ofconstructing the same. At its upper end the frame is provided withsuitable lateral arms or portions usually arranged in a horizontalposition to support the letter-ways and Working parts of the machine.

Z) is the drive-shaft, extending horizontally through and beyond the twovertical legs of the frame and arranged beneath the letterways andworking parts of the machine. Suitable bearings for this shaft areformed in the said vertical leg portions of the frame, and the front endof the shaft has the large bevel-gear I), while the rear end thereof hasa small cam I)" for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

b is a drive-pulley to which the power to run the entire machine isapplied from any suitable source. This drive-pulley is mounted looselyon the shaft, so that it can turn independently thereof, and ispreferably arranged on the or approximately 011 the central portion ofthe shaft, with one end of its huh I) forming one member of a clutch,the opposite member of which is formed by a sleeve (Z. This sleeve dturns constantly with the shaft, but is formed to slide longitudinallythereon and mesh with said hub of the pulley, so as to throw the pulleyinto and out of gear with the shaft. This sliding clutch member can becontrolled in any suitable manner, as by the vertical lever e, fulerumedat its lower end to the lower portion of the frame and loosely fittingthe clutch member, so as to move the same to and from the pulley, yetpermit the parts to freely operate, and from thence extending up througha slot 0 in a plate between the letter-ways and provided with a handle.

fis a spring acting on the lever to yield ingly hold the parts with theclutch disengaged, and e is a catch or shoulder behind which the leveris caught and held to hold the clutch locked with the pulley held torotate the shaft.

Of course I do not limit myself to this peculiar arrangement of gearingand controlling means, but show and thus specifically describe it as amost simple and convenient means of operating and controlling themachine.

f is the elongated horizoi'itally-disposed letter-feedway, and g is thecorrespondingly elongated'and disposed letter-receiving way arranged onthe opposite side of the machine. These ways can be of any desiredlength to receive the desired number of letters, say several thousand,and said ways are preferably arranged parallel, although I do not limitmyself to such arrangement. The framings of the ways are secured to andcarried by the main frame of the machine and are usually fixed andstationary,while the floors on which the letters actually rest andengage are preferably, although not necessarily, composed of series ofparallel bars f, extending longitudinally of the letter-ways and havinga somewhat-slow forward-feeding longitudinal movement and a quick returnmovement.

The bars or rods forming the bed of each letter-way are suitably securedtogether at the rear ends of the ways, respectively, by suitablecross-plates f while the front ends of the bars are suitably confined toslide on the stationary table 9 across the front end of the machine.

A'horizontally-swingable three-armed lever h, is fulcrumed to the underside of the top framing of the machine beneath the letterways, with itstwo opposite arms pivoted to the end plates f of the letter-way beds,respect ively, while the third arm of the lever extends forwardly and isnotched at h on one side of its front end to receive the upper end of anupright lever i, fitting in the notch and suitably fulcrumed at 21between its ends to the frame, with its lower end provided with a roller2', running on the cam b, which has an abrupt break or drop.

j is a spring suitably acting on the threearmed lever to hold the upperend of the lever 2' in the notch and to hold the roller forced againstsaid cam.

It will thus be readily understood that the parts are so arranged thatthe cam will rock the levers, so as to reciprocate the letter-way bedsin opposite directions against the tension of said spring as the rollerrides up on the cam, and when the roller drops suddenly off of the breakof the cam the two floors will be quickly jerked or reciprocated in theopposite directions. The parts are so arranged that the slow forwardmovement of the feedway floor or bed constantly carries the lettersforwardly therein, while the quick return is in the rearward directionand slides under the letters without drawing them back. In thereceiving-way the slow-feeding movement is toward the rear to carry theletters back and the quick non-feeding return toward the front. One ormore of the bars at the outer portion of the letter-feedway and one ormore of the bars at the inner portion of the receiving-way have raisededges f along their longitudinal sides gradually inclined downwardlyfrom the rear ends of said bars to the front ends thereof, so that theletters can ride up thereon and be held from movement away from theguides of the letter-ways, the letters in the feedway being held withtheir outer ends raised, so as to press their inner ends in against thelongitudinal guide-plate 7r along the inner edge of the way, while theletters in the receiving-way have their inner ends raised, so that theletters are held or inclined out against the longitudinal guide lat theouter side of the receiving-way.

m is a guide at the inner side of the receiving-way.

The outer side of the feedway can be left open, as shown, so that theletters in large numbers can be easily inserted therein withoutreference to the length of each letter.

The longitudinal guide Z at the outer side of the receiving-way ispreferably adjustable bodily in and out, so as to increase or diminishthe width of the receiving-way, and this guide is preferably in the formof a long rod secured to lateral brackets Z, pivoted at their lowerends, respectively, to opposite ends of the machine-framing, so that thebrackets swing on their respective pivots and carry the guide-rod awayfrom or toward the bed.

If desired, a curved plate or arm Z can be secured to an arm Z at oneend of the machine and a clamp and guide Z be provided to act thereonand hold the guide-rod lat the desired position or to guide the same. Ido not wish to limit myself to the employment of this clamping means, asI prefer to operate said guide by depending arm Z from the guide, havingthe loose handle or lever Z joined to the lower end of said arm andextending beneath the letter-ways to the opposite side thereof, where itcan be easily and conveniently grasped by the operator and movedlongitudinally to swing the guide-rod. The under side of this handle orlever can be notched, as shown in Fig. 22, and a pin 1 provided to catchin the notches and hold the parts in the desired adjustment. Theoperator hence has merely to raise the lever from the pin and move thelever and then drop so that the desired notch receives the pin.

n is the follower in the receiving-way to hold the mass of letterstogether. The follower extends transversely of the way, preferably at anangle, and its guiding and carrying slide-sleeve is arranged on the rodl and provided with a friction-finger n bearin g on the guide-rod Zwithsufficient friction thereon to enable the follower to hold the lettersin the receiving-way in the desired upright position.

is a stationary rod arranged longitudinally beneath the outer edge ofthe feedway and suitably secured to the framework at the ends of themachine. The transverse follower p in the feedway has a sleeve 17,carrying it and confined to slide on said rod 0. A weight 1) is hungfrom suitable flexible connections 19 and connected to said slide 1) toconstantly press and move the follower p in the feedway toward the frontend thereof, so as to constantly hold the letters in said Way togetherand in their upright positions as the mass of letters is fed and pressedforwardly by the feeding bed or floor and so that when the number ofletters in the way is reduced to a few to properly carry them up to thefront end of the way to be properly grasped by the feeder.

p is a pin on the slide 19, arranged to move along the upper edge ofprojection 19 to hold the follower from swinging.

Suitable mechanism is provided to be automatically operated by saidfeedway-follower when it arrives at its limit of forward movement andthe last letter is carried from the feedway, whereby the machine isautomatically thrown out of gear with its driver and stopped. I do notwish to limit myself to any particular mechanism for accomplishing thisfunction, but a simple and suitable combination for the purposecomprises a horizontally-movable elbow-lever q, suitably fulcrumed tothe under side of the top framing, with its inwardly-moving arm normallyextending in front of the catch or shoulder a, so that when thecontrolling-lever e is caught by said catch the lever presses saidtrip-lever q to one side. The opposite end of the triplever has aforwardly-extending connection 7' beneath the feedway to the free end ofa short horizontally swinging lever 1", fulcrumed at one end to theunder side of the front table of the machine, with its free end arrangedin the path of the sleeve carrying the follower of the feedway, so thatsaid sleeve will strike said short lever as the last letter leaves thefeed way and move said short lever just sufficiently to cause the elbowtriplever to push the controlling-lever from the notch c and permit thespring of the controlling-lever to swing the same and throw the machineout of gear and stop the same. \Vhen the feed way is again filled withletters, the operator has merely to grasp the upper end of thecontrolling-lever and swing it forwardly and catch it behind theshoulder e".

s is a vertical wall extending transversely across the front end of thefeedway and against which the letters in the feedway are pressed. Thiswall is extended across in front of the receiving-way and is inclinedrearwardly toward the outer side of the receivingway approximately asshown, so that the letters entering the receiving-way along its frontwall have their front ends in the direction of movement deflectedinwardly, thereby leaving ample space at the inlet side of thereceiving-way for the succeeding letters, so that there will be nocrowding or doubling up of the letters because of excessive pressure inthe receiving way against their entrance. The outer end of the wall atthe front end of the receiving-way is usually longitudinally slotted atits outer portion to receive and permit longitudinal adjustment of aclamping-screw t, carrying a spring-plate t at the rear side of saidwall and extending from said clamping and adjusting screw means towardthe outer edge of the receiving-way and springing inwardly toward therear end thereof, so as to hold up the mass of letters in the way andpress them rearwardly. This spring can be adjusted transversely of theway as circumstances dictate.

The front wall of the letter-ways is longitudinallyslottcd at the frontend of the feedway and at the space between said ways and in front ofthe receiving-way. At the front end of the feedway and in front of saidwall and just beneath the slot a suitable ledge or slideway is providedfor the reciprocating carrier carrying the feeder. This carrier to iselongated, usually, although not necessarily, of greater length than thewidth of the feedway, and formed with the horizontal portion or flangesliding on said ledge or slideway provided with the forwardly-extendingnose at at its inner or front end in the direction of feeding stroke,and the vertical fin or flange along the inner or rear longitudinal edgeof the horizontal portion and moving and confined in a space between thefront wall and a plate a", arranged parallel therewith, said space orguideway thus formed being of greater width than the thickness of saidvertical portion of the carrier, so that a slight inand-out swing orplay of the carrier is permitted toward and from the inner or front endof the feedway. The feeder proper or biting surface comprises a suitableholder or block a at the front side of the vertical portion of'thecarrier, resting on the horizontal part thereof and extending through anopening or slot in the vertical portion and through the opening in thefront wall to engage and carry the letters forced against the frontwall. This holder is removably secured to the carrier in any suitablemanner. This holder has suitably secured therein a series of parallelplates 11 all set on edge and inclined inwardly and toward thereceiving-way. Each plate has its longitudinal edges turned in slightly,and on the face of the plate between the edges a layer or row ofparallel needles to is arranged with their points projecting slightlyfrom the front ends of the plates. In making, the desired number ofplates with the needles therein are properly clamped or held and theneedlepoints all alined and extending from corresponding ends of theplates and constituting a surface of closelyarranged fine points. Theplates and needles are then soldered to gether, and usually to theholder, so as to form a solid rigid mass having the surface of points atone edge all parallel and inclined. Fig. 13 shows one of these plateswith the can be easily made, and when all the plates are clampedtogether parallel and inclined the front ends of the needles are bracedagainst breaking by the front ends of the adjoining plates, as, forinstance, more clearly seen in Fig. 12. The plates a can have crossslits'w" to receive the plate a which fits in said slits of all the platesand is secured to holder a. This biting-surface of fine points extendsthrough into the front end of the feedway, so as to take hold of thesurface of the first letter in the way and carry it through theseparator to the printing mechanism.

to is a horizontally-swinging lever above the front end table of themachine and fulcrumed at its outer end thereto on a suitable raisedpivot and extending inwardly from its pivot to the reciprocating carrierand loosely connected with the rear end thereof by the short pivotallink M. This lever to is coupled with the printing-wheel, as hereinafterdescribed, so as to reciprocate said feed in proper sequence.

'v is a horizontally-rotating feed-roll arranged on the front table ofthe machine beneath the feeder and feeder-operating devices andprojecting through a slot in the front vertical wall into the front endof the feedway. This roll is mounted on a vertical shaft 1;, suitablyjournaled in and extending beneath the table, and driven in a suitablemanner, so that the portion of its periphery in the feedway and engagingthe front letter therein will constantly rotate toward the printingmechanism and in the direction of feeding movement of the feeder. Thisroll has a friction-surface and is designed to assist the reciprocatingfeeder in quickly starting and carrying the letters from the way, sothat there will not be too great strain on the paper of theletter-envelop where the feeder takes hold of it, and so that allliability of skipping and failure to feed will be avoided. Where theletters are wet and stuck together, this auxiliary feed is found ofmaterial advantage.

The auxiliary feeder, which acts in con j unction with the main feederin starting each letter and in separating the same from those behind andwhich engages the letter at an intermediate portion, can also serve theimportant function of lining up the letters to the inner guide or sideof the way, so that the main feeder can readily grasp the inner ends ofthe letters. Sometimes the postal clerks fail to push the inner ends ofall of the letters up against the inner guide, and hence when suchletters move up to the main feeder they might not be located so as to beengaged by said feeder, but by employing the auxiliary feeder suchletters when presented to the feeders will be engaged by the auxiliaryfeeder and pushed inward, whereby their inner ends can be caught by themain feeder. The roller is here shown with a somewhat protrudingfriction feeding-surface cat one point on its periphery, and the rolleris timed to rotate so that this friction feeding-surface engages eachletter in the way to assist in moving it as the reciprocating feedertakes'hold of the letter.

Any suitable means or devices are provided to permit renewal oradjustment of the friction feeding-surface Q)". In Figs. 20 and 21 Ishow a simple and practical arrangement for this purpose, although manyother devices might be employed and all would be within the scope of myinvention, as I broadly claim an auxiliary feed for the reciprocating orother feeder. The roll is here shown hollow and open at the bottom,although closed at the top. Two radial slits c o are shown opening fromthe interior of the roll through the periphery thereof a distance apartequal to the width of the exposed friction -surface. Openings in the topof the roll are formed in inward continuation of said slits. The stripof flexible friction material 4) is stretched over the full width of theroll between said slits, with its ends passed into the interior of theroll through the slits. A spring clamping-plate o is arranged within'theroll with its ends clamping the ends of the strip against the interiorof the roll. A elamping-bolt o is passed in through the roll betweensaid slits and through the springplate, with a nut on its inner end andits outer end provided with a cross-slit and countersunk. By unscrewingthe nut the spring-plate is loosened and the flexible strip can beremoved and newone inserted. The ends of the platespring can have upwardextensions into the openings in the top of the roll. However, I do notlimit myself to any peculiar construction of roll or feedingsurface oroperating means, nor in fact necessarily to the employment of a roll.The letter-way guide-walls end a distance behind the front wall, and theseparating device is provided to extend across this space and bearyieldingly against the front wall, so as to permit passage of one letteronly at a time, so that one letter at a time will pass to the printingdevice. The separating device in this case comprises a series of lingersextending forwardly and held yieldingly against the front wall, so as toswing sufficiently to permit passage of single letters. In the presentcase five fingers are shown arranged in a vertical series.

2 is a suitable frame or carrier removably secured to the front end ofthe guide-wall of the feedway and extending forwardly in extensionthereof. This frame preferably has a lateral extension 2 from its rearend toward the receiving-way, to which the rear ends of the respectiveplate-sprin gs 3 are secured. The front end of this frame has thevertical series of horizontal slots extending in .from its edge toreceive and permit swing of the fingers. A large finger 4 is pivotedatthe central portion of the inner end of the frame by having a slot atits rear end receiving and IIO I go

mounted on one of the arms of the frame. This finger has a notch at itsfree end where it engages the front vertical wall to permit free passageof the reciprocating feeder andavoid all danger of the biting surface ofsaid feeder engaging the said finger. The rem aining fingers 5 and (3 6fit in the slots of the frame and are pivoted to swing on pivot-s passedthrough the portions of the frame between the slots. Each finger has anotch 7 in rear of its pivot in which the ends of the respectiveplate-springs 3 fit so that the springs force the front free ends of thefingers toward the feedway and tightly but yieldi ngly against the frontvertical wall. The large center finger preferably has two springs actingthereon. Thus when a letter passes along the front wall from the feedwaysaid fingers are swung back from the front wall against the tension oftheir respective springs and bear against the rear face of the lettersas they pass out of the feedway. Certain of these fingers, such asfingers 4tand 5 5, are curved forwardly and rearwardly to the front wallat their faces at the inner edge of the feedway and against the innerends of the letters at the front end of said way. These broad convexfaces press the end of each letter, when it engages the fingers, againstthe front wall and thereby hold said edge against doubling back underthe resistance offered to its passage by the remaining fingers of theseparator. Also these fingers press back the letters in the feedwayimmediately behind the letter engaged directly by the feed, so that theletter forced by the feed will be the only letter able to press back allthe fingers and pass beyond them at each stroke of the feeder.

Vhile the fingers l 5 particularly perform the function of pressing theletters against the front wall to support them, the fingers 6 G areparticularly and peculiarly formed, preferably, with sharp edges toengage the front edges of all letters except the particular letter beingfed, and thus most positively hold back the letters behind the letterbeing fed. These fingers (3 are concaved or so formed on their facestoward the feedway that the letter ends bearing against the otherconvexed fingers will not engage said fingers 6.

Each finger 6 has a'flat hard-metal plate 6 adj ustably secured to itsrear face, with a squarely-cut-oif end projecting forwardly from thefinger to directly engage the front wall at such a point that the letterbeing fed will be pressed against the front wall by the rounded fingersbefore engaging said plates, and the pressure of the letters on theplates will swing back said fingers 6, and, thus the sharp edge of eachplate will rub along the rear side of the letter passing under thefingers and will engage and hold back the front edges of any lettersbehind which may be slightly stuck to or endeavoring to pass along withthe letter being fed. Each hard-metal plate is held by a suitable clamp6, so that each plate can be reversed and turned four times to present asharp edge whenever an edge wears round, the plate being cut off squareor at right angles at both ends and thus forms four sharp edges. allpreferably made of metal and are very durable, and by reason of thepeculiar combination of fingers form a most simple and efficientseparator and prevent skipping almost entirely, which is caused by morethan one letter at a time being passed into the printing mechanism. onlyparts of the separator subjected to much wear, and they are capable ofseveral reversings and can then be replaced easily and at a very smallcost.

2 is a stop limiting the inward swing of the separating-fingers. (SeeFig. 19.)

The printing and impression rolls are arranged in the path of theletters from the feed to the receiving ways and immediately behind theseparator at the opening from the feedway. The printing-roll 8 isarranged horizontally on the front table of the machine and in about thesame horizontal plane as said auxiliary feed-roll, although this is notessential andI do not limit myself to such arrangement. Theprinting-roll is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 9,extending down through a bearing in the top table and down in front ofthe gear on the front end of the main drive-shaft, and at its lower endis journaled in an arm 10, extending out from the lower part of themachineframe. This shaft 9 has a horizontal bevelgear 11 thereon meshingwith the large bevelgear on the main drive-shaft, and thereby driventherefrom in the proper direction.

The printing-roll preferably, although not necessarily, has itsperiphery divided into three different divisions or portion sviz., thelower smooth-faced division 8 around the wheel and here shown as adepending annular flange, the middle feeding annular division or portion8, which is vertically roughened, corrugated, or milled, substantiallyas shown, the roll being very slightly less in diameter at this portionthan at the division 8', and the upper annularly recessed or groovedportion 8 the upper wall of which is less in diameter than the remainingperipheries of the roll and which is designed to remain out of contactwith the inking devices and the impression-roll and to receive theprinting characters for canceling the stamp and applying the postmark.

2 are the removable printing type or characters constituting thepostmark and radially and removably inserted in a properlyrecessedportion of the groove 8 here shown as in parallel horizontal rows withthe small type resting one on theother in vertical rows and theprinting-faces of all type projecting slightly beyond the periphery ofthe roll. The top of the roll above the space occupied by the type isremoved and recessed inwardly toward the center of the roll to form seat13. A spring or yielding clamping-piece M is ar- The fingers are Theseplates 0 are the ranged radially of the roll removably in said seat andextending over the upper row of type. The inner end of the clamp-pieceusue ally has a pin 14' on its under side loosely fitting in a socket inthe roll at the bottom of said seat. The outer end of the clamp isformed into separate spring-fingers 1a", a finger being provided to bearon each type in the top row, respectively, a distance inwardly from theouter end thereof. A screw 141: passes down through an intermediateportion ofthe clamp into a screw-threaded socket in the bottom of thesaid seat, so that when the screw is tightened the said spring-fingerstightly clamp the various type in position and the unevennesses in thetype are allowed for and taken up by the spring-fingers, and also as thespring-fingers bear on the type a distance in from their outer ends saidtype lie approximately parallel and their outer ends are not inclineddown. By employing this peculiar arrangement the type can be easilyremoved or inserted at any time and the date or hour easily removed orinserted. The fingers extend out to print a line above the letters 12.Vertical partitions or stops 15 15 are arranged in the peripheral groove8 at opposite sides of the series of type.

16 is the printing-character for canceling the stamp, segmental-shapedand formed with suitable ribs on its outer face to print the parallel orother canceling lines across the stamp and letter-face and with theflange 16 from its inner face to fit in the groove 8 with the face ofthe printing-block extending up flush with the upper surface of theroll, as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9. This prin ting-block is pivotedat one end and the roll at this point is so formed that the opposite endof the said block can be swung into and out of printing positionaccording as to whether the machine is used for outgoing or incomingmail. A clamping-screw 16",passin g through a radial slot 16 in theroll-top down through the free end of said block against the wall of therecess, can be employed to adjust and clamp the said stamp-printingblock in the desired adjustment, the bottom of the groove and edge ofthe printing-roll being so formed to receive and permit this adjustmentof said stamp-printing block, so that the block can be swung out intothe circle of the remaining type and into operative position or can bemoved inwardly out of said circle and outof operative position, so asnot to engage the inker or the letter except possibly at a small portionof its pivoted end just in advance of the printing-type. In thisconnection it is of course well known that incoming letters from otheroffices have the date of receipt stamped on their backs. without thestampcanceling marks on the face of the letter. This stamp-cancelingcharacter is arranged in the periphery of the printing-roll immediatelyin advance of the date, 850., printing type, so that said characterfirst engages and prints on the face of the letter and'the place "anddate follow in two parallel lines, prefer- I ably.

18 is a cam arranged on the top surface of the printing-roll, said rollbeing so arranged that the reciprocating feeder moves back and forthover the same. This cam is arranged on the roll in advance of theprinting-characters and so as to engage the reciprocating carrier of thefeeder after it has completed its return stroke to the right and as itis about to start to the left on its feeding stroke and crowd and forcesaid carrier in toward the letters and insure its grasping and takinghold of a letter at each stroke. The cam is arranged on the roll so asto engage the rear edge of. the feeder-carrier and is usually of suchlength and so shaped as to press the feederinwardly until it has takenhold of the letter. The cam then gradually leaves the carfier, so thatwhen the feeder has completed its feeding stroke the cam has passed outof engagement with the same and allowed it to spring to its limit ofmovement away from the letters in its return stroke. The cam is hereshown as a curved strip secured on the top surface of the roll by screwsor pins.

20 is a vertical pivot eccentrically arranged on the printing-roll,preferably between said cam and the printing-type, to pivotally receivea pitman 21 at its right end pivotally joined to the lever a between itsends, to properlyswing said lever and reciprocate the feeder in theproper sequence, so that the feeder will present the letter to theprinting roll so that the printing-characters will print on the letterin the proper place. Each revolution of the printing-roll moves thefeeder a complete return and a complete feeding stroke. The opposite orleft-hand end of this pitman 21 is continued and connected with thestacking mechanism to operate the same.

Any suitable inking device can be provided for the printing-roll. In thepresent instance a circular casing 22 is employed open at the top andwith a small side opening adjacent to the printing-roll, and with alateral ear or extension 22, perforated to removably fit on a pin 22",extending up from the front machine-table. 23 is the inking-roll ofsuitable absorbent material removably located in said casing and havinga shaft 23 extending downwardly through a central bearing in the bottomof the casing and into a slot 24 in the end of a plate 25, rigidlysecured to the machinetable. This slot is of such Width as to permitlimited swing of the casing and contained inking-roll toward and fromthe printing-roll, and a plate-spring 26 is provided bearing against thelower portion of the inking-roll shaft and yieldingly pressing theinking-roll through its shaft toward the printing-roll.

The inking-roll engages no part of the periphery of the printing-rollexcepting the printing characters, as the inking roll is usuallyarranged only opposite the part of the roll containing the type and allthe portions of the roll in the horizontal plane of the IIO type arereduced and out of engagement of the inker, the soft surface of which isengaged by the printing-characters to receive the ink and the roll isrotated thereby. Vhenever desired for inking or to insert a new roll,the casing can be easily lifted from the pin and slotted plate. This isa most simple and durable and eflicient inking device, and there is nodanger of parts other than those desired becoming inked or of the inkspattering around on surrounding parts of the machine or onto theletters, as there are no parts of the printing-wheel which receive inkexcept the printirig-characters.

An impression-roll 27 is arranged in operative position relative to theprinting-roll at the rear side of the vertical wall and at the rear sideof the letter passage-way from the feed to the receiving-ways. Theimpressionroll is mounted on the upper portion of a vertical shaft 27,extending below the front machine-table and journaled to rot-ate in avertical bearing 28 at the free end of a horizontallyswinging arm 28,carrying said shaft 27 and the in'lpression-roll and swinging on theshaft 29 as a center. The upper end of the bearing 28 extends into aslot 30 on the top table to permit swing of the parts toward and fromthe printing-roll. This bearing 28 also has a lateral car 28 beneath thetop table, against which the free end of a plate-spring 2S" bears toyieldingly press the impression-roll toward the printing-roll. Theopposite end of this spring is suitably and adj ustably secured to theframing of the machine. The lower end of the shaft 27 beneath thebearing 28 is provided with a pinion 31, meshing with the gear 32 on theshaft 29, which is the center on which the arm 28 swings, so that saidpinion and gear are always in'mesh, notwithstanding the position of thearm. The upper end of this shaft 29 is suitably journaled in the toptable, and its lower end is journaled in an arm 29 from themachine-framing. The gear 32 meshes with and is driven by the pinion 33on shaft 34, depending from the machine-table. This pinion 33 mesheswith and is driven by the gear 35 on the printingroll shaft 9, so thatthe impression-roll shaft is positively driven from and in an oppositedirection to the printing-roll shaft and at a higher rate of speed thanthe printing-roll, but so that the peripheries of the two rolls travelat like speed.

The auxiliary feed-roll shaft 22 has a gear t on its lower end meshingwith and driven by the pinion 36 on the shaft 37, depending from themachine-table and meshing with and driven by the gear-wheel 35 on theprinting-roll shaft.

To go back now to the impression-roll, it will be seen that this roll iscomposed of two partsviz., the feeding-section and the impressionportion or section. The feeding-section 27 forms the lower portion ofthe roll and rigid with its shaft and having the lower portion of itsperiphery smooth-faced and engaging the lower smooth-faced portion 8 ofthe printing-roll when said rolls are not separated by a letter,and theupper vertically corrugated or roughened portion corresponding to andopposite the roughened portion 8" ofthe printing-roll, the roll at thispoint being slightlylessin diameter than at the smoothfaced portion, sothat the smooth-faced portions of theprinting and impression rollsengage when no letters are between them and hold the remaining portionof the rolls out of engagement, and thus avoid wear and prevent injuryto the letters and to the impression-surface and feeding portions of therolls. The bottoms or walls of the passage between the two letterwaysand on which the letters slide in passing between the printing andimpression rolls are so arranged and elevated that the letters do notpass between said smooth-faced portions of the two rolls, but pass in aplane above them between the grooved portions of their peripheries whichin a manner grasp and positively feed the letters and should be allowedto approach sufiieiently to grasp thin letters and postal cards and thelike. This impression-roll is preferably recessed at its under side andrests on a collar on its driveshaft, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. Theimpression-section 27 is arranged opposite and in approximately the samehorizontal plane as the grooved and type portion of the printing-roll.This impression portion or section is provided with a suitableimpression-s11rface. (Not shown herein.) This impression portion canrock vertically independently of its shaft and the feeding portion ofthe roll and is yieldingly held in its normal vertical position. Anysuitable construction can be employed in mounting and connecting theroll to permit this rocking, although in the present case the enlargedbore of the platen has a sleeve 27 inserted in the upper end thereof andextending about half-way through the bore, with its lower edge restingand formed to rock on the upwardly-facin g annular shoulder 38 of theroll-shaft, the shaft being reduced above said shoulder to loosely passthrough the sleeve or contracted part of the roll-bore, and reducedinwardly on a taper downwardly from the shoulder to the plane of thelower end of the roll, so that the roll can rock vertically from itscenter.

I do not limit myself to forming the shoulder in the impression-roll bythe sleeve, as it can be formed in other ways.

The roll-shaft extends above the roll, and a flanged sleeve 27' is onthe shaft resting on the roll and surrounded by a coiled expansivespring 27 at its upper end bearin g up against the arm 27 removablysecured on the upper end of the shaft with one end extended downwardlyinto a socket 27 in the upper end of the platen-roll, so that the springyieldingly holds the roll in its normal vertical position, and said armpositively connects the shaft and roll and rotates the roll with theshaft. I do not limit myself to the employment of the arm to enter saidsocket, as it can be dispensed with and the parts otherwise formed sothat the impression portion revolves with the shaft without detriment tothe rocking function. This impression portion thus maintains its surfaceparallel with the plane of the printing-characters when letters withparallel sides pass between the rolls, and always maintains its surfacein proper relation when letters of uneven surfaces or faces pass throughthe rolls and so as to properly press the letters against theprinting-characters and to receive the impact of saidprintingcharacters, Whether the letters be very thin or very thick andbulky.

The arm 28", carrying the impression-roll, is pivoted to one side of theplane in which the letters travel between the printing and impressionrolls, so as to extend diagonally across said plane, and the pivotalpoint of said arm is forward of said letters as they pass through andbetween said rolls-that is, beneath the front end of the receiving wa'y.A material advantage is attained by thus pi voting and arranging theswinging arm, as the impression-roll most easily and quickly yields tothe letters, yet without detracting from the force of theimpression-roll against the printing-roll. The letters do not have toforce the impression-roll directly at right angles to the path of theletters, but said roll moves in a curve somewhat with the letters, sothat the forward movement of the letters more easily opens the rolls.All portions of the printingroll are always out of contact with theplatenroll, and that the type and printing characters thereof are theonly portions which approach within operative relation to thisimpression-roll, so as to print the thinnest matter and yet notengagethe platen-roll when nothing is passing through the rolls.

The letters are carried between the rolls by engagement with theirsurfaces, and also by the reciprocating feeder, which travels across theupper surface of the printing-roll and beyond the same, and therebysupports the letters between the-rolls and assists in shooting themtransversely across the front end of the receiving-Way, where eachletter is pressed by a suitable stacker toward the rear end of said wayand against the mass of letters therein, which are thus pressed andstacked in the proper position.

The stacker shown in the present case comprises a horizontally-movablepusher at the front end of the receiving-way movable rearwardly andforwardly in and out of the front end of the receiving-way through theslot in the front wall. The pusher approximately consists of ahorizontally-disposed somewhat J-shaped piece of metal 42, with itsfront end corresponding to the upper end of the J, pivotally joined by ahorizontally-disposed link 39, with a pivot 40, extending up from theleft-hand front corner of the machine table, so that said link formsaswinging and movable fulcrum for the peculiarly-shaped pusher 42, sothat the fulcrum of the pusherpiece moves in an arc toward and from thefront end of the receiving-way and toward and from the outer edge ofsaid way. At a distance forwardly from its pivotal joint with I the link39, forming its movable fulcrum, the pusher is pivotally joined at 41 tothe lefthand extension of the coupling-pitman 21, eX- tending from thelever operating the feeder over the printing-wheel and eccentricallypivoted thereto and beyond the same to the stacker, so that all of theseparts perform their respective functions in proper sequence. The pusherhas the rear or inner laterallyextended engaging end 42 preferablycurved or rounded at its extremities, so as not to catch or obstruct thefree passage of the letters in their proper course. At the beginning ofits .in and lateral stroke toward the outer edge of the receiving-waywith the pitman-pivot at the. right-hand side of the printing-wheel thefeeder is starting on its stroke to feed and the printing-charactershave just about completed taking ink from the inker, the pitman thenmoves with the printing-roll gradually forwardly and to the left,carrying the rear end of the stacker into and toward the rear of thereceivingway and at the same time toward the outer edge thereof, therebypressing in the letters and properly placing the letter previouslyreceived in said way. As the pivot of pitman 21 on the printing-wheelstarts beyond the plane in which the axles of the printing andimpression rolls are located the stacker starts to draw forwardly andtoward the outer edge of .the way just before the next letter isdischarged into the receiving-way in front of the stacker, which, as theprintingwheel continues to move around, moves forwardly out of thereceiving-way and to the right and enters the same again to press saidletter into proper place and press back the letters in the way. Everyrevolution of the printing-wheel causes a complete inward stacking throwof the stacker, and also a return throw thereof.

The stacker and reciprocating feeder are so connected with theprinting-wheel that the stacker moves a little in advance of the feederin its operative movementsas shown, forinstance, in Fig. 4, where thefeeder is shown at its limit of return movement just ready to start onits feeding-siroke, while the stacker has already entered quite a littledistance into its pressing or pushing path in the front end of thereceiving-way. Fig. 5 shows the feeder at the middle of itsfeeding-stroke with the stacker at its limit of inward movement in thereceiving-way.

Dotted lines in Fig. 5 clearly show the relative positions of thestacker and feeder at different points.

The forwardly-extending end of the pusher extends through the front walland does not pass rearwardly beyond said wall, but at all parts of thestroke of the stacker remains extending through said wall so as not tocatch the letters. It should be observed that the pusher moves towardthe outer edge of the receiving-way while pushing the letters back insaid way, so as to carry the letters against the side guide as they arepushed back in the way.

The stacking device, per 3c, is not claimed in this application, butforms the subjectmatter of a divisional application, filed December 23,1895.

It should be observed in connection with this machine that a greatnumber-say several thousandproperly-faced letters can be placed in thereceiving-way in front of the follower thereof, the follower in thereceivingway beingpressed up to the front end thereof, and when thecontrolling-lever is pressed forwardly and caught behind itsholding-shoulder the machine will start to work on the letters and feedeach separately from the front end of the feedway t0 the front end ofthe receiving-way and postmark and cancel the stamp of each and properlystack the letters in the receiving-way in a long line, all properlyfaced, so that they can be easily taken out in a body to thedistributing-table, and that when all the letters have been passed fromthe feedway the machine will automatically stop. Hence a single operatorcan attend to and serve several machines, as he has merely to place alarge number of letters in each and take the letters from the machines,and while one machine is loaded and postmarking letters he can befilling another machine, and so on. An immense quantity of mail-mattercan thus be most rapidly and economically handled.

The construction herein shown has been most minutely described for thesake of clearness; but I wish it understood that I do not thereby limitmy invention to the specific construction described in detail, but it isobvious that various changes might be made in the forms, constructions,and arrangements described and shown without departing from the spiritand scope of myinvention. Hence I do not wish to limit myself to theconstruction shown, but consider myself entitled to all such variationsas fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desireto cover by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a supporting-frame,letterways thereon having movable feed-bottoms, ahorizontallydisposedthree-armed lever fulerumed to the frame with two opposite armsconnected to said bottoms to reciprocate them oppositely, said leverbeing yieldin gl y held to its limit of swing in one direction, avertically-disposed lever arranged to swing said horizontal lever by itsthird arm, and means to rock said vertically-disposed lever,substantially as described.

2. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a supporting-fran1e,letterways thereon having movable floors, a printing mechanism, a feederto carry the letters thereto, a main drive-shaft arranged horizontallyin the lower part of the frame and provided with acam at its rear endcontrolling the said floors through intermediate mechanisms, and thevertical printing-roll shaft at the front end of the machine driven fromsaid driveshaft and actuating the feeder and printing mechanism,substantially as described.

3. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, letter-waysthereon provided with letter-feeding means, a vertical shaft, a stacker,printing mechanism and a feeder actuated by said vertical shaft, ahorizontal drive-shaft having a cam and driving means, gearingconnecting the drive-shaft to the vertical shaft, and avertically-arranged swinging lever held against said cam and actuatin gsaid feeding means of the letterways, substantially as described.

4. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way, printingand feeding mechanisms, driving means capable of being thrown into andout of gear to start or stop the machine, a spring constantly tending tothrow said means out of gear and to stop the machine, a hand-operatedmovable member to operate said means against the tension of said springto throw said means into gear and start the machine, a catch to holdsaid member against the tension of the spring with the driving means ingear, a trip arranged to e11- gage said member and force it from engagement with said catch and permit the spring to throw the driving meansout of gear, and mechanism controlled indirectly by the mailmatter inthe letter-way and controlling said trip to disengage the hand-operatedmovable member from its catch when all of the letters have been fed fromsaid way, substantially as described.

5. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way,letter-feeding mechanism, driving means, mechanism for throwing thedriving means into and out of gear with the machine comprising a leverand a spring constantly acting on the lever to throw the driving meansout of gear, a catch to hold the lever against said spring with thedriving means in gear, a trip to engage the lever and press it from thecatch and thereby permit the spring to swing the lever to stop themachine, and a follower in the letter-way arranged, on arriving at its.limit of forward movement, to operate the trip to release the lever,substantially as described.

6. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-way,letter-feeding means, driving means, a sliding clutch to throw thedriving means into and out of gear with the machine, a lever fulcrumcdto the frame and engaging said clutch to throw the same, a springconstantly acting on said lever to throw the driving means outof gear, acatch to hold the lever against the tension of said spring with thedriving means in gear, a trip arranged beside the way to release thelever, and a follower in the way having means controlling the trip torelease the lever as the follower arrives at its limit of forwardmovement,

frame arranged to hold said member with the driving means in gear, atrip pivoted to the frame near the stop and arranged to engage saidmember and push it' from engagement with said stop, and a follower insaid way controlling said trip, substantially as described.

8. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-way,letter-feeding means, driving means, mechanism to throw said means intoand out of gear with the machine, comprising a swinging lever, a springacting on said lever to throw the driving means out of gear, a catch tohold the lever against the tension of the spring with the driving meansin gear, a trip to disengage the lever from said catch and permit thespring to stop the machine, said trip being set by the return movementof the lever to the catch, and mechanism controlled indirectly by theletters in the way to operate the trip when the last letter is fed fromthe way, substantially as described.

9. -In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-way,letter-feeding means, means to throw the machine into and out of gearwith its driver, a hand-operated movable member controlling said means,a spring actuating the same in one direction, a catch to hold the sameagainst the tension of the spring, an elbow-lever pivoted beside saidmember to engage the same and force the member from the catch and permitthe spring to actuate the same, and a follower in the way controllingthe elbow-1e ver to actuate the same to release said member when thelast letter is fed from the way, substantially as described.

10. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-way,letter-feeding means, mechanism for starting and stopping the machinecomprising a movable hand-operated member, a spring actuating the samein one direction, a catch to hold the same against said spring, atripping device engaging the member when held by the catch, and meanscont-rolled by the letters in the way to operate the tripping device torelease the lever from the catch, said tripping device so arranged inrelation to said member as to be engaged by the member when moved to thecatch and set ready to again release the member, substantially asdescribed.

11. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-way,a follower in the way having a forward projection exterior of and besidethe way, a movable part mounted 011 the frame exterior and forward ofthe way to be engaged and moved by said projection as the followerreaches its limit of forward movement, a tripping device controlled bysaid movable part, a movable spring-actuated member, a catch to hold thesame, said tripping device arranged beside said member to engage andpush the same from the catch, and means for starting and stopping themachinecontrolled by said movable member, substantially as described.

12. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-way,means for starting and stopping the machine, a springactuated movablemember controlling said means, a catch to hold the member against thespring, an elbow-lever pivoted to the frame beside said member torelease the same from the catch, a follower in the way having aprojection, and a lever controlling said elbow-lever and arranged in thepath of said projection, said two levers returned to their normalpositions by the movable member, substantially as described.

13. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, twoletter-ways thereon, a letter feeding and printing means, the framehaving a slot with a notch or shoulder at one edge thereof, mechanismfor starting and stopping the machine, a spring-held lever controllingsaid mechanism and fulcrumed to the frame beneath the ways and extendingthrough and above said slot and capable of being moved against thetension of its spring and caught in said notch, and means controlled bythe letters in a letter-way to release the lever from said notch,substantially as described.

14. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame, a letter-wayarranged horizontally'thereon, a slide-way arranged beside and exteriorof the way, a slide traveling on said way and parallel with theletter-way, a follower extending laterally from said slide and acrossthe way, means to forwardly press said slide and follower, a stop-motionfor stopping the machine, and a movable part controlling saidstop-motion and arranged at the exterior of the letter-way and in thepath of said slide so as to be engaged and moved by the slide to stopthe machine when the follower reaches its limit of forward movement andthe last letter is fed from the way, substantially as described.

15. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a frame having a slotwit-h a catch or shoulder at one edge thereof, aletter-way, means forstarting and stopping the machine, a spring-held lever controlling thesame and extending through said slot and arranged to be caught and heldby said shoulder with the machine in gear, a trip-lever arranged toswing over the slot beside said shoulder and to press the lever from theshoulder and to be returned by engagement with the lever on its returnto the shoulder, and automatic means controlled by the letters in saidway for operating said trip, substantially as described.

16. In a mail-marking machine, a letterway having a guide at or near oneedge and a longitudinal raised edge at or near the opposite side of itsfloor on which the lower edges of the letters rest to raise the ends ofthe letters and throw their opposite ends against said guide,substantially as described.

17. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of ahorizontally-disposed receivingway having an inlet at one side of itsfront end through which the letters are discharged transversely of theway, a longitudinal guide arranged along the opposite edge of the waycomprising a rod a distance above the plane of the way, swingingsupports for said rod to shift the same bodily above and transverse ofthe way, and means for locking said rod at the desired position,substantially as described.

18. A letter way having a longitudinal guide at one side thereof,movable supports for said guide to shift the same transverse of the way,and an operating and locking lever for the guide arranged beneath theway and extending to the opposite side of the machine, substantially asdescribed.

19. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way, a sideguide arranged longitudinally at one edge thereof, movable supports forsaid guide permitting movement thereof transverse of the way, and afollower in the way movable on said guide and having its free endresting and slidable on the fioor of the way, substantially asdescribed.

20. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way, alongitudinal side guide at one edge of the way and movable bodilytransverse of the way, and a controlling-handle for said guide extendingto the opposite side of the machine, substantially as described.

21. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-receivingway, the longitudinal guide-rod at the outer edge of the way, armscarrying the same and pivoted to the frame, and an operating-handleconnected to move said rod in or out and extending to the opposite sideof the machine and provided with looking or catching means,substantially as described.

22. In a mail-marking machine, in combination, aletter-way, afollowertherein mounted to permit upward swing, a projection moving with thefollower, and a stop to cooperate with said projection to preventraising of the follower at one end of the way, substantially asdescribed.

23.. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a feedway having afront wall with a discharge from the way along the wall, means to pressthe letters forwardly against said wall, a yieldingly-held separatingdevice at said discharge to press the letters against said wall as theyare carried through the discharge, a printing-couple at the discharge,one member of the couple projecting rear wardly through and beyond thewall, and a feeder arranged to carry the letters along said wall andthrough the discharge to said couple so that each letter grasped by thecouple is pressed rear-wardly from the wall and against said separatingdevice, substantially as described.

Bt. The combination of a feedway having a discharge, a guide extendingalong said discharge, a support on the opposite side of the discharge, aseries of spring-held fingers independently pivoted to the support andextending across the discharge to the guide so that their free ends canswing back in the discharge, said fingers arranged side by side andcertain fingers having rounded or convexed letter-en gagin g faces andother fingers having the end letter-engaging edges to rub along the rearface of each letter as passed through the discharge, and a feeder tofeed the letters through said discharge, substantially as described.

25. In a separating device, the combination of a guide arranged 011 oneside of a discharge and along which the letters are moved, a support, aseries of fingers independently pivoted to the support and extendingacross the discharge with their f rec ends held yieldingly toward saidguide so that each letter moving along the guide swings the free ends ofthe fingers, a finger having its letter-engaging face rounded orconvexed toward the guide and forwardly to press the letters againstsaid guide, and another of the fingers terminating at its free end in anedge to rub along the face of the passing letter and to catch and holdback the ends of the letters behind the one being fed, substantially asdescribed.

26. A separator device comprising a guide arranged along a discharge, aseries of parallel independent fingers arranged side by side andindependently held yieldingly across the discharge toward said guide,one or more fingers of the series having its letter-engaging face curvedor rounded toward the guide and in the direction of movement of theletters, and another finger having a concaved or reduced faceterminating in an edge to rub along the face of the passing letter andto catch and hold back the ends of letters behind the letter being fed,substantially as de scribed.

27. A separating device comprising a support, and a series of parallelindependent metal blocks or fingers, each at one end pivoted to thesupport with its free end extending across the path of the letters, aguide at the opposite side of said path, stops to limit the inward swingof the blocks, and springs yieldingly holding the blocks against saidstops, certain blocks having rounded curved letter-engaging faces andother blocks terminating in edges, substantially as described.

28. In combination, a guide arranged along one side of the path of theletters, a separator-finger yieldingly held extending across said pathand toward said guide and having a straight end to be engaged by theends of the letters being fed and terminating in an .edge to catch andhold back the ends of the letters behind the one being fed and when saidfinger has been pressed back by said letter, and a finger having anextended rounded letter-engaging surface to hold the ends of the lettersagainst said guide to support and guide them when their ends engage saidstraight end of the other finger, substantially as described.

29. A separator comprising a swinging or yielding finger terminating ina straight end or plate extending across the path of the letters andengaged by the ends thereof, and a pivoted yieldingly-held block at oneside of the finger and having the curved or rounded letter-engaging sideand end, and a guide opposite the ends of said finger and block andtoward which they are yieldingly held, substantially as described.

30. A separator device for mail-marking machines comprising a series ofseparatorfingers, one or more of which is provided with an end plateprojecting beyond the finger and cut off square at both ends so thatfour edges are formed, and clamping means whereby the plate can beremoved and reversed to separately employ the four edges, substantiallyas described.

31. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way having adischarge, a guide extending along the discharge, a support on theopposite side of the discharge, a series of parallel independent fingerspivoted to the support with their free ends extending across thedischarge toward the guide, the support forming stops to limit the swingof the fingers toward the letter-way, and springs pressing the fingersagainst said stops and holding the fingers across the way, substantiallyas described.

32. A separator comprising a series of parallel independently-pivotedspring-held fingers arranged side by side, alternate fingers havingrounded convexed letter engaging faces, and intervening fingersterminating in ends with edges to catch the ends of letters,substantially as described.

33. In a separator, a yieldingly-held finger having a projectingreversible plate with a square end, substantially as described.

34. The combination of a wall, a support arranged opposite the same withlateral projections, metal separating-fingers pivoted in the front edgeof the support and having notched rear ends, and plate-springs extendingforwardly from said projections at an angle with their front ends fittedin said notched ends of the fingers,substantially as described.

35. A printing-roll, in combination with a shaft having an annularupwardly-facing shoulder below its upper end with acircumferentially-reduced portion beneath the shoulder, animpression-roll having a bushing in the upper portion of its boreresting and rockable on said shoulder, and a spring yieldingly holdingthe roll in its normal position, substantially as described.

36. The combination with a shaft, of a roll confined loosely thereon,the shaft extended above'the roll and having an arm therefrom extendeddown into a socket in the roll, and a spring yieldingly holding the rollin its normal position, substantially as described.

37. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letterway having afront end wall and a discharge behind the same, a pair of rolls at saiddischarge, a reciprocating feeder arranged in front of said wall havingabitingsurface extending through the wall to engage each letter near oneend and carry the same through said discharge to the rolls, and a rotaryauxiliary feeder extending through the wall in different vertical andhorizontal planes from said positive biting-surface and acting in unisonwith the same to feed the letters, and also to line them up and ease thestrain on the end of each letter where grasped by said biting-surface,substantially as described.

38. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way providedwith letterfeeding means, and a lateral end discharge, a positive feederat said end having a bitingsurface to grasp each letter at or near itsend and positively carry it from the way through the discharge, and arotary auxiliary feeder having a segmental friction-surface at saidfront end of the way with a feeding stroke in the same direction as andin unison with the positive feederand engaging the front faces of theletters at a different portion from said positive feeder, to line up theletters for engagenient by the positive feeder and to relieve strain oneach letter, substantially as described.

39. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way having alateral discharge at its front end, separating means at the discharge, areciprocating feeder at said end projecting into the way to engage thefront face of each letter and having an exthe discharge and separatingdevice, and a rotary auxiliary feeder having a friction-surfaceextending into the way a distance back from said discharge and having astroke shorter than said reciprocating feeder to engage each letterrearwardly from said reciprocating feeder to line up the letters and actin unison with the reciprocating feeder, substantially as described.

40. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a letter-way having afront end wall with a side discharge behind the wall, means to press theletters forwardly, a reciprocating positive feeder in front of the walland projecting through the same to engage each letter near its inner endand carry the same feeder having a projecting friction-surface in adifferent horizontal plane from said positended stroke to carry eachletter through through the discharge, and a rotary auxiliary

